Jihlava

Explore the secrets of the Jihlava underground and visit the house where famous composer Gustav Mahler grew up!

Today’s Jihlava is the modern center of the Vysočina Region, but in the past it was a city which, together with Kutná Hora, bore the title of the silver treasury of the Czech Kingdom. Worth seeing is the historic center with a checkered network of streets, labyrinth of underground tunnels, and a very nice zoo!

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What you have to see

The Jihlava underground, the corridors of which reach a total length of 25 km, came about as the result of interconnecting medieval cellars. These corridors were excavated in the rock at several levels up to 18 meters deep and stretch underneath nearly all the houses around the main square. The labyrinth of the Jihlava underground is especially famous for its mysterious luminous passage – when the guide turns the lights out, the walls glow mysteriously.

Who you should know about

Connected to Jihlava and its surroundings is the life of composer Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). An exhibition in the home where the Mahlers moved to from the nearby village of Kaliště will introduce you to his family and childhood, his sources of inspiration and his later relationship with the city. You can also visit the Gustav Mahler Park at the synagogue, which was burned in 1939, and the Jewish cemetery with the graves of his parents and siblings.

Travelling for pleasure

Just a short walk from the center of Jihlava, in the park by the river Jihlavka, you will find a zoo without any bars, which specializes in big cats, monkeys and reptiles. Water lovers can head to the water park Water Paradise, and those who enjoy cycling can head out on the long-distance cycle path towards Austria. It is approximately 110 kilometers from Jihlava to the city of Raabsan der Thaya and nearly one third of the route consists of a safe section designed only for cyclists, in-line skaters and pedestrians.